Cigna launches new self-referral emotional wellbeing pathway

08 May 2017 - Cigna UK HealthCare Benefits (Cigna) has launched a new self-referral pathway for customers who are concerned about their emotional wellbeing. Cigna customers can now bypass their GP and refer themselves for any emotional wellbeing concern.

Cigna’s new emotional wellbeing pathway draws on the expertise of their highly qualified and fully experienced nurses and psychotherapists to triage customers and direct them to the most appropriate care. Cigna customers with an emotional wellbeing concern can now self-refer for:

Self-help

EAP

Alcohol detox

Psychotherapy

Psychiatry

Phil Austin, Cigna’s UK HealthCare Benefits Managing Director commented, “To make it as easy as possible for our members to access emotional wellbeing support, our new pathway provides fast access to a wide range of services. Members simply call our experienced team of nurses to discuss their concerns and receive advice, support and, where necessary, are fast tracked to appropriate treatment. This early intervention can prevent emotional wellbeing issues from getting worse, reduce the cost of treatment and help members return to work quickly.”

Cigna, together with Nuffield Health, one of the leading not-for-profit UK healthcare organisations, will offer fast access to psychotherapy and psychiatry treatment. Nuffield Health will provide an Emotional Wellbeing Assessment and deliver the appropriate psychotherapy or psychiatry required.

Chris Harbron, Director of Emotional Health & Wellbeing at Nuffield Health comments, “We’ve been working with Cigna for more than 10 years, delivering a range of health and wellbeing services to their customers. We have collaborated to evolve and enhance Cigna’s emotional wellbeing pathway. Moving Cigna to our new Emotional Wellbeing Telephone Assessment brings many benefits to the member and allows them to have much faster access to the emotional wellbeing support they need. This thorough assessment enables the member to be assessed and signposted to the treatment that is clinically indicated and delivered by a suitably trained and accredited mental health professional.”

Cigna was the first health services company in the UK to launch a number of self-referral pathways including physiotherapy in 2008, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) in 2015 and in 2016, breast and skin cancer diagnostics.